Stopping and signaling mechanism for locomotives



(No Model.)

J G.-GROSS. STOPPING AND SIGNALING MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVES. No. 446,288. Patented Feb. 10,1891.

W/ TNE SSE S A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. GROSS, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

STOPPING AND SIGNALING MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,288, dated February 10, 1891.

Application filed September 9, 1890. Serial No. 364,430. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES C. GROSS, of Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and Improved Stopping and Signaling Mechanism for Locomotives, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved stopping and signaling mechanism for locomotives, which is simple and durable in construction andintended for automatically stopping the locomotive and sounding the whistle at or near the stations or other predetermined places, at the same time permitting the engineer to apply or reof the improvement for operating the engineers valve.

The improved stopping and signaling mechanism is provided with a cylinder A, secured on the tender or locomotive and containing the piston B, pressed in a lower or normal position by a spring C, arranged within the cylinder, as is plainly shown in Fig. 1. The piston 13 is provided with a downwardly-extending piston-rod D, adapted to be engaged by a socket E, formed on the upper end of a rod E, fitted to slide in suitable bearings formed on the frame carrying the cylinder A. On the lower end of the rod E is journaled a roller E adapted to pass over an auxiliary rail F, located at or near the main rail at a predetermined place-that is, near a station, switch, &c.so that the locomotive when reaching said predetermined place causes the roller E to pass up the inclined rail F to move the rod E upward. At this upward movement the socket E, pressing against the piston-rod D raises the piston B from its seat in the lower part of the cylinder A. When the friction-roller E has passed over the incline of the rail F, then a spring E pressing against the rod E, holds the roller E in a normal lower position.

Into the lower end of the cylinder A leads one end of a pipe G, connected with a reservoir containing a fluid under pressure, the endof the pipe Gr, leading into the cylinder A, being normally closed by the piston B. \Vhen the latter is raised, as previously described, by the action of the track-rail F on the roller E then the piston 13 uncovers the opening of the pipe G and the fiuid under pressure can pass into the said cylinder A. From the cylinder A leads an outlet-pipe H, arranged opposite the pipe G and provided with a check-valve II and leading into a small reservoir I, from which lead a number of pipes J, J, J and J of which the latter is provided with a valve and serves as an outlet or escape. The pipe J leads into a cylinder K, containing a piston K, provided with a piston -rod K pivotally connected by a movable pin K with a slotted link L, loosely connected with an arm L ,adapted to be ful; crumed on the valve-stem N of the en gineers valve N, of any approved construction, and provided with the usual valve-stem handle N which is taken hold of by the engineer to operate the engineers valve in the usual manner. The pivotal connection between the arm L and the link L is such that the engineer can at any time work the engineers valve N by manipulating the handle N without interfering with the position of the piston K in the cylinder K. When, however, the fluid under pressure passesrin tothe cylinder K from the pipe J, then the 1 piston 0 K moves outward and by its piston-rod K the link L, and the arm L turns the stem of the engineers valve,'so as to apply the brakes. \Vhen the engineer does not desirethe brakes to be plied automatically, he removes the pin 5 K so asto disengage the piston-rod K entirely from the engineers valve. The pipe J leads into a cylinder 0, containing a piston 0, provided with a piston-rod 0 connected at its outer end by a pin 0 with a lever P, connected with the throttle-valve of the locohen the piston O is moved outmotive.

ward by a fluid passing through the pipe I intothecylinderO and pressing against the said piston, then the lever I is actuated and "shuts the throttle-valve, so that the motive agent for the engine is shut off. The pipe J connects with a cylinderQ, containing apiston Q, provided with a piston-rod Q pivotally connected with a link Q having a slotted .e'ndengaginga stud onthe bell-crank le-- ver R, connected by one arm with the rod R, operating the whistle, and connected by'its otherarm withazrod y vunder the control of the engineer for soundingthe whistle whenever he desires. The branch pipe G leads from the pipe G directly to the reservoir I,

the-saidpipe being provided with a valveGd,

inder .A, an d from thelatter through the pipe "Hipast-thecheck-valve H' into the reservoir '1. From herethefiuid under-pressure actuates the engineefis valve N, as previously -des'cribe'd,-so "that the brake mechanism is applied, and at the-same'time thefluid under :pressure from :the reservoir I passes 'into the cylinder- 0 'to close the throttle-valve, as pre- .viously meritioncchandthe fluid under pressure'passesnp thepipe J 2 and actuates the piston Q, soastosWing-the'bell-crank lever Rfitherebysoundingthe whistle. It will be seenJthatthus a signal" is given, the-steam is shut 'off-from'the engine, and the brake mech- 'anism is'appliecl so that the locomotive or train-must come to a dead stop 'in a's'hort time. dvhen the engineer desires to signal, toshut off the throttle-valve, and to apply "the-brakeswithout using the cylinder A, its

pistolrBgthe rollerE and the rail F, then hecloses -thevalve G--and opens the valve G so that thefluidunderpressure can pass directly from the pipeGto the reservoir I, :and'from there to the several cylinders K, O, andQ, to actuate the-brakemechanism, the

' throttl'eyalve, and whistle, as previously described. "\Vhen-the-engineer desires to-reset *the'apparatus, he-opens the pipe Jto let the air-escape from the 'reservoir'I. It will be seenth-at thedevice does not interfere with theengineers operating the brake mechanism, the throttle valve, or the whistle, each independently of the other, and ofthe automatic device described.

Having thns'fullydescribed my invention, I claim as new anddesire to secureby Letters Patent r 1. The combination,with the cylinder -A, havingainlet and outletpipes G H at its'lower "en'dyapiston 15, closing theadjacent ends of said pi pes and provided with" pi-ston rod D,- 6 5 extending downthrongh the'lower'end of the cylinder, and thesprin g C in the cylinder and holding the piston down, of the rod E below ect-iOn, substantially as set forth.

2. A stopping and signaling mechanism comprising a cylinder having an inlet ,con-

nected with a fluid-supply, and also provided with an outlet, and a reservoir connected with the said outlet and having aseriesof pipes connected with mechanism for actuating the engineers brake-valve, the throttle-valve, and the whistle, and a piston held in the said cylinder and adapted-to open and close "the said inlet and outlet,-substantially as shown and described.

3. A stopping and --signaling mechanism comprising-a cylinder having 'an inlet connected with'a fluid-snpply,-and also provided withanoutlet, and'a'reservoir connected with thesaid outlet and having a series of pipes connectedwith m'echanismfor actuating'the 'engineersbrake-valve, the throttle=valve, andr the whistle,a piston held'in-thesaid cylinder and adapted to openandfclose thesaid'inlet and outlet, and 'an auxiliary rail for actuatingthe said piston,-substantially asshown and described.

4. In 'a stoppingandsignaling-mechanism, the combination, with a cylinder provided with an inlet and connected with a flui'd supply, and also provided with an ontlet of a spring pressed piston hel'd'in the said cylin der and controlling thesaid'inlet andoutl'et,

an auxiliary rail for actuating the said p'iston to connect the said inlet with the --outlet, a

fluid reservoir into whichl opens the-said outlet, and a cylinder connected-With the-said reservoirand containing a pistonconnected with the engineer s brake-valve,substan tially as shown and described.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination, with acylinder'provided with an inlet and'outletfor themotive fluid,-and a-spring-seated piston in said cylinder closing-said'openings and having a piston operated from a track projection,'0f a second cylinder connectedzwiththe outlet of the firstnamed cylinder, and'havin g a piston provided with a rod and a'slotted operating link .to form aloose connectionbetween-said rod and the part which it is to operateto permit-saidpart to be also operated independently of--saidsec ondpiston, substantially asset'forth.

6. The combinatiomwvith a cylinder having an inlet and outlet and ar piston-"or'valve operated by a track-projection and 'controllingsaid inlet and outlet,.and asecond cylinder havingaflu id-operated piston con nected with the partto be operated, of a'pipeaH, connectingsaid cylinders and having checkvalve II, a, fluid-supply-pipe G,'leading to the Valve G and opening valve G3 the fluid may adapted to be clamped onto the stem of the 10 engineers valve and pivotally connected with the said link, substantially as shown and described.

JAMES C. GROSS.

Witnesses:

J. G. SEAMANs, WILLIAM GYLE. 

